Summary
A great opportunity for a Science Operations engineer to support a future astronomy mission, working onsite at ESAC for Telespazio VEGA UK.
Objective
To provide support to Euclid Science Operations Centre (SOCs) supporting instrument operations preparations, payload calibration activities and validation of SOC operational procedures.
Responsibilities / Duties
The successful candidates can expect to be involved in:
- Support to payload calibration activities including analysis of data from on-ground test activities
- Support to instrument operations preparations including Performance
- Verification phase plan preparation and instrument operations modelling for the SOC commanding system
- SOC operations preparation including the creation and validation of SOC operational procedures for downlink operations (routine telemetry processing, quick look and trend analysis) and uplink operations (generation of commanding requests)
- Participation in System Operational Validation Tests and other on-ground test campaigns.
- Testing and validation of new deliveries of SOC software, including regression testing
Tasks will include:
- Acting as interface between the SGS and PI Teams which require deep knowledge about specific instrument functionality, performance and operations.
- Track the science capabilities of an instrument during its development phase by participating in instrument team meetings, reviewing documents (e.g. EIDB’s & User’s Manuals) and assuring completeness and validity, applying and running instrument models/simulations, etc.
- Coordinating of the calibration efforts by the ESA IDTs and the instruments principal investigator teams, the latter being spread across different institutes and universities across Europe and supported by national funds.
- Provide support to the Instrument Teams in the preparation & execution of AIV activities and calibration campaigns (ISTs).
- Understand the functionality of the instrument data to be archived and support the definition of the instrument’s Archive data products in coordination with the Archive Scientist and in the data pipeline development
- Support the provision of SPICE kernels (e.g. Instrument specific, orbit / attitude), as required
- Organise and maintain up-to-date all information concerning the instruments which is deemed necessary for future knowledge preservation
- Contribute to the SGS preparation activities including:
- Definition of operations plans & procedures and preparation of training activities
- Contributing to SGS requirement specification and design, by assisting in the definition of user requirements for the SGS
- reviewing/assessing completeness and adequacy of the system being designed and implemented. This may include exploration of new technologies.
- Testing and providing feedback on implementations.
- Contribute to the preparation of the Science Activity Plan (SAP) document
- Contribute to the compilation of the Science Traceability Matrix (TMX) and to its further development into the Observations Catalogue.
Qualifications / Experience
- University Master’s degree, or equivalent, in Astronomy or similar related discipline
- Good, broad knowledge of instrument calibration
Essential Skills
Specific knowledge is required in the following areas:
- Calibration and data analysis for CCD and near-infrared instrumentation Science and payload operations for space missions,
- Handling common astronomical file formats e.g. FITS
- Experience with Python applications
Desirable Skills
- Ability to attend meetings/conference/workshops and make presentations as requested.
Qualities
- Good interpersonal and communication skills
- Pro-active attitude to problem solving and customer focus
- Comfortable in an international working environment
- Fluent in written and spoken English
Further Details
All roles within Telespazio VEGA have a defined closing date, however if a successful candidate is found before the advert expires the role will be closed early. We would therefore advise any candidate to apply as early as possible to avoid disappointment.
Closing Date for applications is 7th October 2019.
Location of the position is ESAC, Spain.
To apply : Please send your CV and covering letter to careers@telespazio.com
By sending your CV to careers@telespazio.com you give your consent for Telespazio VEGA to hold and process your personal information for the purpose of the application.
Benefits
Competitive Package covering salary, generous holiday allowance, training plan and more
Security
In line with Asylum & Immigration Legislation, all applicants must be eligible to live and work in the EU. Documented evidence of eligibility will be required from candidates as part of the recruitment process. Furthermore, in view of the nature of the work the company is in, all potential employees will undergo stringent reference and identity checks.